People of Faith to Tanzania President, CNOOC, and Total CEOs: Stop harassing local EACOP opponents
To:
Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania
Patrick Pouyanné, CEO, TotalEnergies
Li Fanrong, CEO, Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)
We are writing to you as people of diverse religious backgrounds from around the world.
In solidarity with religious and climate change organizations across East Africa, we express our profound concern and steadfast opposition to the escalating levels of harassment and intimidation to which our fellow people of faith are subjected for their peaceful, law-abiding opposition to the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline.
We call on the government of Tanzania, CNOOC and TotalEnergies to bring an immediate and complete end to this reprehensible treatment of innocent persons. Details of a recent series of incidents are below, accompanied by the full list of our demands.
While we are from different religious backgrounds, we can state unequivocally that none of our faiths tolerates or condones such violent, immoral behavior. We await your public commitment to ending this unwarranted abuse.
We urge the Tanzanian government to:
- Immediately cease the harassment and intimidation of PAPs and activists who are exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
- Ensure transparency and accountability in all matters related to the EACOP project.
We call on TotalEnergies and CNOOC, the leading companies involved in EACOP, to:
- Publicly denounce the human rights violations taking place in Tanzania in connection with the project.
- Uphold their commitment to respecting communities and operating with the highest ethical standards.
- Refrain from placing profits above the well-being of local populations and the environment.
Signed,